PETER PROTSCHKA QUINTET 

Peter Protschka Quintet

Peter Protschka (D), trumpet/ flugelhorn/ compositions

Rick Margitza (USA), tenor saxophone/ compositions

Martin Sasse (D), piano

Martin Gjakonovski (MK), bass

Tobias Backhaus (D), drums


The Peter Protschka Quintet is a real working band. Since 2013, they have been on tour throughout Europe every year without interruption - many club gigs, festivals and many thousands of kilometers have already been covered by this line-up. Friends who love to challenge themselves and make music together, going musically to places where they haven't been before.

The legendary tenor saxophonist Rick Margitza is still there: a strong and very individual voice from the New York post-bop movement of the late 1980s, who has now been at home in Paris for around 20 years. His extensive references include Miles Davis' legendary fusion band of the late 1980s: Margitza was hired by Miles Davis for a European tour in 1988 and recorded three albums with him: “Amandla”, “Live around the world” & “Live in Montreux” . Numerous albums on Blue Note followed under their own name. He also played with Eddie Gomez, Tony Williams, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, the well-known jazz orchestras of the American big band composers Maria Schneider and John Fedchock and various well-known European bands. Margitza's energetic and lyrical playing is still in great demand internationally.

Well-known top European musicians such as Martin Sasse (piano), Martin Gjakonovski (double bass) and Tobias Backhaus (drums) are also part of the party. The band presents a program full of poetry and energy, which is stylistically in post bop and consists exclusively of their own compositions. After the live CD "Twilight Jamboree" (2015), the band released their first studio album "Hearts and Minds" (Challenge International) in spring 2022, which was enthusiastically received by the international press.

 

 

 

PETER PROTSCHKA QUINTET-Hearts & Minds: 

The Miles touch here is no coincidence as you can still find Rick Margitza working/lurking in the background. A nice bridge for the past and the future, this crew of long standing has finally released their first studio album and the wood shedding really shows. A smoking post bop high end jazz date, this is tasty stuff with pros leading the way to fine times. They brought it hard and left it all on the tape.

Midwest Records, 2022